Mohamed El Sayed - Al Jazeera Net

With an unprecedented record of 2,043 athletes representing 210 countries, track and field champions will begin to illuminate the skies of Doha when they compete in the 17th edition of the world athletics championship, which will be staged at the Khalifa International Stadium, which can accommodate 48,000 spectators, starting on Friday evening.

World Cup Athletics The most prominent sporting event after the Olympic Games and World Football Championships, will be launched through the women's marathon, which will be a unique experience for participants from all over the world, where it will be held for the first time at night outdoors on the Doha Corniche.

The world champions are competing in 49 races and competitions (24 for men, 24 for women and mixed) to win 192 colorful medals over 10 days.

Thirty-seven athletes are defending their London titles two years ago, most notably Kenyan Faith Kepiegun, who is seeking a third successive gold medal in the 1500m race, and Qatar's Moataz Barsham, who hopes to raise his country's banner at Khalifa International Stadium and win the high jump competition. Thirty athletes have won rounds in the Diamond League 2019.

Athletics is very popular in Qatar, especially after Moataz Barsham kidnapped the spotlight with more than one international achievement, most notably the 2017 World Athlete of the Year award.

The World Cup is expected to witness a public carnival, with 24 different communities presenting in the public area, as well as the distinctive atmosphere of Khalifa International Stadium, equipped with modern cooling technologies, which was rehabilitated and opened in 2017, to be one of the eight stadiums hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The first phase of ticket sales saw orders exceeding 70% of the tickets, where the lowest price for the open space is 60 riyals ($ 14.43), with the price gradually increasing to the highest value of the ticket in the finish line to 300 riyals ($ 82.19).

The Qatari team is expected to attract a large crowd, which includes alongside some other stars such as Abdulelah Haroun, bronze medalist in 400m in London 2017, Abdul Rahman Samba, gold medalist in 400m hurdles in the Doha round of the Diamond League 2017, and Abu Bakr Haidar, Asian champion in 800m, and also champion Ashraf summer In the hammer throwing competition.

Qatari athletes, most of whom were crowned Asian champions in April in Doha, prepared for the World Cup in particular through long and strong camps and encounters with the stars of the Games.

Qatari team manager Khalifa Abdulmalik said that the enthusiasm of the runners towards this tournament is greater than any previous participation, as the Doha World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world this year, and the largest sporting event in Qatar since the Asian Games (Asia 2006).

Abdul Malik told Al Jazeera Net that the Qatar team includes a group of athletes with great talent, and that the opportunity now seems to them to present the performance that is proud of their nation.

He adds that the World Cup will be a real and difficult test for all the participating heroes, but there are legitimate goals and aspirations of the great champions of Qatar, especially as they are aware of the magnitude of the responsibility and the pressure placed on them.

Abdul Malik believes that the competitions of the Games make it difficult to predict the results, but hopes and aspirations exist to achieve good results and honor Qatar and raise its flag at the Khalifa International Stadium.

"I am very eager to play at home! I am very excited about it," said Qatari world runner Moataz Barsham before his participation in the World Cup.

`` I am ready to fight and defend my gold in London 2017, especially as my family and friends will be on the podium to encourage me, '' said Barsham.

The Qatari champion, who suffered an ankle injury during his participation at Hungary in July 2018, hopes to succeed with the rest of his teammates in the achievement of colorful medals and increase the balance of Qatar in the world championships.

Qatar will be represented by 18 athletes (16 men and 2 women) - of about 2,000 participants - in 12 of the 49 competitions.

Doha was chosen to host the World Cup in 2014 to become the first city in the Middle East to receive this honor, ahead of the cities of Eugene and Barcelona.